11 Facts About Shannon Faulkner

Shannon Faulkner is an American teacher, best known for being the first female student to attend The Citadel in 1994, following a lawsuit.

Shannon Faulkner was frustrated that The Citadel would not allow women.

Shannon Faulkner became the first woman to attempt to enter the Corps of Cadets at The Citadel, which previously had a male-only admissions policy.

The Citadel allowed Shannon Faulkner to attend classes in January 1994 as a civilian student, which meant she had to be off campus by the time retreat was played.

Shannon Faulkner was not allowed to reside in the barracks nor wear the cadet's uniform.

Shannon Faulkner matriculated into The Citadel with an otherwise all-male corps of cadets on August 15,1995 under the escort of United States Marshals.

At lunch, the cadets were forced to eat large quantities of a noodle casserole, and Shannon Faulkner began feeling ill.

Shannon Faulkner then returned to the infirmary, where she spent the remainder of that week before washing out, citing emotional and psychological abuse and physical exhaustion.

Shannon Faulkner told Oprah Winfrey on her show that she had gained weight during the lawsuit due to the stress she was facing.

Two decades later, in a 2012 interview with the Post and Courier newspaper, Shannon Faulkner said that what precipitated her leaving so abruptly was a threat to kill her parents by a person present when she entered.

Shannon Faulkner attended Furman University and later Anderson College, where she graduated in 1999 with a degree in secondary education.